I was feeling a bit nostalgic so I had to boot this up again. I still remember it like yesterday: the day I got my PS4 was not too long after this game came out. I loved the inFamous games and everything in the trailers leading up for this really spoke to me. It's the system seller, in my eyes. I was in a "grunge music nut" phase for a couple months back then... ridiculous, I know. I had a blast with the game, and it was my first platinum on the PS4. It's been almost 9 full years since its release, and I want to see how it holds up.
To put it simply, Second Son is still one heck of a fun time, despite not evolving enough from its predecessor in many areas. I can't shake the feeling of the game's "console launch" feel, with the scale and depth of the game being stripped back. I would even argue that at least one of the reasons they chose to have multiple kinds of powers is to show off the PS4's technical ability. All of this results in a game that can feel like it's undercooked in some areas, especially the story, as some characters develops a bit too fast, and have less screen time than I wanted. On the other hand, the game also feels more approachable and manageable to complete, with its dense but small open world, which feels like a breath of fresh air in today's AAA gaming landscape, despite having a lot of the typical open world activities that we're too familiar with.
The core gameplay is as fun as ever. The series' brand of simple but rewarding combat and flashy traversal capabilties are still going strong. The variety of powers only strengthens that core, and while the individual powers' abilities aren't as deep as Cole's electric powers, they make the game feel more flexible and dynamic, as each power comes with their own optimal style of gameplay, and have their own best use cases. While all of the powers still depend on your aiming skills and situational awareness, each of them feel different enough to make switching between them a more meaningful affair. The game also gives you ample time to learn and develop each of the powers, as you can only access them in certain parts of the main story.
I would like to remind you that this is a early first party title in the PS4's lifecycle, and yet this game still looks great today. Seattle's rain soaked streets is still sight to behold, and the visual effects for each of the powers look spectacular, especially the Neon. You can actually play this on 60 FPS on the PS5 with 1800p checkerboard rendering, so it makes the experience feel much more modern.
What certainly doesn't feel modern is the karma system. The concept of a black and white good vs evil mechanic just feels dated these days, but the game does make it fun to you to commit to one of them, with certain abilities locked behind your level of reputation. Story wise, this system contributes to the lack of nuance in the writing, and while it's not the end of the world for a game like this, it does left me wanting a bit more.
For the story, as I said before, it feels a bit rushed at times. I would love to see more of Fetch and Delsin but their on screen time together felt so short. I also like the implications of Delsin and Reggie (his cop brother) being very similar in some ways, despite seeming like the total opposites of each other. While Delsin is a somewhat immature and unruly person, Reggie's commitment to being a good cop also feels a bit naive, It's a cool dynamic to have, even if the writing doesn't realize it's full potential. Lastly, I quite enjoy the main antagonist here, she's the kind of villain that's fun to beat up.
Overall, Second Son holds up quite well in most aspects. A few of its elements will be looked upon as a silly thing today, but none of it are enough to overshadow its core: a gorgeous superhero game that everyone can enjoy.
To put it simply, Second Son is still one heck of a fun time, despite not evolving enough from its predecessor in many areas. I can't shake the feeling of the game's "console launch" feel, with the scale and depth of the game being stripped back. I would even argue that at least one of the reasons they chose to have multiple kinds of powers is to show off the PS4's technical ability. All of this results in a game that can feel like it's undercooked in some areas, especially the story, as some characters develops a bit too fast, and have less screen time than I wanted. On the other hand, the game also feels more approachable and manageable to complete, with its dense but small open world, which feels like a breath of fresh air in today's AAA gaming landscape, despite having a lot of the typical open world activities that we're too familiar with.
The core gameplay is as fun as ever. The series' brand of simple but rewarding combat and flashy traversal capabilties are still going strong. The variety of powers only strengthens that core, and while the individual powers' abilities aren't as deep as Cole's electric powers, they make the game feel more flexible and dynamic, as each power comes with their own optimal style of gameplay, and have their own best use cases. While all of the powers still depend on your aiming skills and situational awareness, each of them feel different enough to make switching between them a more meaningful affair. The game also gives you ample time to learn and develop each of the powers, as you can only access them in certain parts of the main story.
I would like to remind you that this is a early first party title in the PS4's lifecycle, and yet this game still looks great today. Seattle's rain soaked streets is still sight to behold, and the visual effects for each of the powers look spectacular, especially the Neon. You can actually play this on 60 FPS on the PS5 with 1800p checkerboard rendering, so it makes the experience feel much more modern.
What certainly doesn't feel modern is the karma system. The concept of a black and white good vs evil mechanic just feels dated these days, but the game does make it fun to you to commit to one of them, with certain abilities locked behind your level of reputation. Story wise, this system contributes to the lack of nuance in the writing, and while it's not the end of the world for a game like this, it does left me wanting a bit more.
For the story, as I said before, it feels a bit rushed at times. I would love to see more of Fetch and Delsin but their on screen time together felt so short. I also like the implications of Delsin and Reggie (his cop brother) being very similar in some ways, despite seeming like the total opposites of each other. While Delsin is a somewhat immature and unruly person, Reggie's commitment to being a good cop also feels a bit naive, It's a cool dynamic to have, even if the writing doesn't realize it's full potential. Lastly, I quite enjoy the main antagonist here, she's the kind of villain that's fun to beat up.
Overall, Second Son holds up quite well in most aspects. A few of its elements will be looked upon as a silly thing today, but none of it are enough to overshadow its core: a gorgeous superhero game that everyone can enjoy.